Ear-ornament support and method of forming same



Nov. 10, 1925. 1,561,128

A. E. WALLER EAR ORNAMENT SUPPORT AND METHOD OF FORMING SAME Filed Aug.25, 1923 311-0041 ta 1, flnl bwry Z; Wei/er Patented Nov. 10, 1925.

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ANTHONY E. 'WA'TJL'ER, 0F EDGEWDOID, .RHQDE 'ISLANID.

EAR-ORNAMENT SUPPORT AND METIIOD OF FORlVIIITGr SAM'E.

Application filed August 25, 19.23. Seria1'No. 659,'355.

.ing Same,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relatesto an improved con struction of ear'ornamentsupport, and an improvedmethod of forniingthe same; and the object ofthis invention is to provide an ear ornament support having a shankportion adapted'to be passed through a {piercing in the ear of thewearer and locked in supporting position on the ear, the same comprisingthe forming of the device of a one-piece strip out from sheet stock, thestrip having an enlargement intermediate its ends to which a gem may be:fastened; also having-a hook on its;rearwardlyextending portion adaptedto engage the free end of the upper loop member to lock the device inthe ear of the wearer.

A further object of the invention is to form a pierced ear portionintegral with the lower shank portion of the stock and to subsequentlytwist the shank portion so as to bring this ear portion int-o a plane ata right angle to that of the gem-supporting enlargement, andsubsequently round the shank portions by a swaging operation and bendthem into operating shape.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certainnovel features of construction, as will be more fully described, andparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation showing thelobe of an ear in section with my improved gem-supporting deviceattached thereto.

Figure 2 shows the blank as cut from sheet stock and with theenlargement, the ear member and the hook-shaped end all in the sameplane.

Figure 3 is a perspective view illustrating the pierced ear as havingbeen twisted to set in a plane at a right angle to that of theenlargement and the shank ends bent into the desired shape.

It is found in the practical construction of a support for earornaments, such as an earring, of advantage to strike or cut the samefrom sheet stock and form the whole in.one piece, and to-subsequentlyround the shank portionsby aswaging operationelther in the usual rotaryswaging \mac'hineor by :a pair of dies and when the eye member is.formed-onthelower portionof the shank to twist theshank soas to set.this eye imember Ina plane at a right angle to thatof the enlargement;and the following is a.detailed description of one form of this deviceand the method by which the same may be constructed.

The whole device is cut complete with all of its parts from one piece ofsheet stock including .an upper shank portion 10, a lower shank portion11 and a large diskshaped portion 12, the latter being intermediate theupper andilower shank portions. The end of the lower shank iispreferably cut into hook shape as at 13, and the upper shank .may beinserted into the ordinary rotary swaging machine, if desired, and

hammered into ,a round wire and in some instances, .where thehook end issubsequentl v formed the lower shank portion may be also rounded by asimilar operation.

In some instances, however, the hook is formed in cutting out the blank,and in other instances I form an ear 14 on the lower shank portionintermediate the hook end and the enlargement 12 and pierce this ear asat 15.

When the device is so formed the next operation is to twist the lowershank 11 so as to bring this ear 1& into a plane at right angles to thatof the enlargement 12, as best illustrated in Figure 3, so as to set inproper position to receive the attaching members 16 of the drop 17,shown in Figure 1. When this lower shank portion is so constructed andthe ear member bent into the desired position, I subsequently round thislower shank portion by placing the same between a pair of roundingswaging dies.

Ordinarily, I preferably strike this enlargement 12 into cup-shape andin some instances fix a pin 18 in its center to enter the piercing orhole in a gem for fastening the gem thereto.

After the upper and lower shank portions have been properly rounded, Ibend back the lower neck end of the lower shank portion to set at anangle of substantially 90 from the rest of this shank portion, and theupper shank portion is bent back into loop form, its free end 19 beingadapted to be passed through a piercing 20 in the ear lobe 21 of thewearer, and subsequently passed into the hook 13- to secure the devicein the ear.

By constructing this device from a single piece of flat stock, I reducethe cost of the same to the minimum, as the whole is made 'in one pieceobviating the necessity of s-ldering any of the parts to the shankportion. Also, by this construction the device is made very strong anddurable and by subjecting the upper and lower portions to a hammering orswaging operation they are made very tough, strong and durable.

It is understood that I do not limit myself to the forming of theenlargement to the particular shape illustrated as the same may beformed to retain any desired material either with or without theemployment of l the pin 18.

Having thus described one illustrative embodiment of my invention andthe best mode known to me'for carrying out my 1nethod,'I desire it to beunderstood that although spev cific terms are employed, they are used ina generic and descriptive sense and not for the purpose of limitation,the scope of the invention being defined and limited only by the termsof the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A one-piece sheet metal ear-ornament support formed of a narrowelongated strip cut and formed from sheet stock with a concave convexenlargement intermediate its gaged by the hook of said arm when inclosed or operative position, and an ornament supporting pin extendingfrom said enlargement.

2. An improved method of forming an ear ornament support, which consistsin cutting a narrow elongated stri' from sheet stock having a hook atone en ,an enlarged disk-shaped portion intermediate its end and alaterally-extending ear thereon, piercing said ear, relatively twistingthe strip about the longitudinal axis thereof to set said ear in a planeat a right angle to that of said enlargement, swaging said enlargementinto concavo convex shape and the opposite earengaging portion of thestrip circular in cross section, and bending both the hook andtheopposite ear engaging end portion back for engagement with eachother.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ANTHONY E. WALLER.

